Paper fabric or matting



UNITED STATES PATENT, O FicE,

J OHN' BRAY, OF \VASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE HALFTO CHARLES H. LONGLEY, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT.

PAPER FABRIC OR MATTING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 280,286, dated June 26,1883.

Application filed Novemher 1, 1881. (No specimens.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN BRAY, a citizen of the United States, residingat the cityof Washington and District of Columbia, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Mattings or Carpets for Floor-Coverings,of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention has for its object to provide IO a novel, efficient,durable, and less expensive matting or carpet for covering floors; andto these ends my invention consists, essentially, in a floor-coveringcomposed of a fabric Woven or knit from strands or threads of paper in I5 such manner that when laid upon a floor it will serve all the purposesof ordinary straw matting or textile carpets, and can be cleansed bywashing when such becomes necessary or desirable.

In carrying my invention into effect I use any kind of strong paper, andcut or form it into strips of vthe required or suitable size, and thentwist or spin the strips into strands or threads. If afine texture isdesired, the strips are made smaller than where a coarse texture ispreferred; but in either event the twisted or spun strands or threadsare woven or knit into a fabric by any of the well-known methodspracticed in weaving or knitting textile o material. Beforqo after. thepaper strands or threads are woven or knit into the matting While Iprefer to waterproof the paper, I- do not desire to confine myselfthereto, as in practice I find that if the strips of paper are properlyand tightly twisted or spun into strands or threads and closely woven orknit the/fabric can be subjected. to a moderate amount of washingwithout liability of injur ing the same. The strips of paper may beformed very narrow and spun or twisted with fabric during the process ofweaving or knit-.

ting, as well as the various designs that are produced in ordinarytapestry; and I also weave or knit the fabric into any determineddimensions to be fitted to the floor of an apartment, so that thefloor-covering will be in a single piece.

I prefer to use paper which is produced from What is known as thepalmetto-leaf, as such is strong and durable; but it is obvious thatpaper produced from other substances can be used.

By my invention I produce a matting or carpet for covering the floors ofapartments which is strong, durable, and much cheaper of production thanthe ordinary matting now imported in such vast quantities, an d thewearing qualities of which are such that it is sel do'in used more thanone season.

I am aware that a coarse open-meshed fabric for roofing purposes hasbeen made of pa per strands, the meshes being open to receive and retainan outer covering or layer of ce1nent; but such is not my invention, andis not claimed by me.

Having thus described my inyention, what I claini is 1. A matting orcarpet for covering floors, composed of awoven or knit fabric made fromstrands or threads of paper, substantially as and for the purposesdescribed.

2.- A matting or'carpet for covering floors, composed of a woven or knitfabric in which the warp or the woof is made of twisted strands of paperand the warp or the woof of animal or vegetable fiber, substantially asset forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

- JOHN EBAY.

WVitnesses:

JOHN C. Cox, J. W, ROGERS.

